From November to April
by pandaburger
Summary: A story that chases the fleeting moments of the 20 year war in Vietnam, that started November 1st 1955 and ended April 30th 1975 almost 20 years later.


The date was sometime after November 1st 1955; the time is unimportant.

Vietnam stood there, her whole face was covered with a look of shock and confusion. War? Was that really what this had come to? A war? The letter from her parents dropped from her hands as she fell on her knees and began to cry.

~breath

She stood in the market place staring at the American soldier. He wanted some fruit, that was all, but he didn't know the language and was trying vainly to gesture to the man who was running the stand what he wanted. She understood, so she stepped over to help.

~breath

She came to the market every day now, to meet the soldier. He was always at the same place, a smile was always on his face, his blue eye's twinkled behind his glasses. His name was Alfred, Alfred. F. Jones, he told her that with pride.

~~breath

His Vietnamese was getting better, the war was getting worse. He always came and talked to her though, his cheerful smile and happy disposition was the highlight of her day. He still asked her to help him in the market, although he really didn't need it anymore, he just liked her company. After they left the market they would go to the local park and sit, eating whatever fruit that they had bought. He always made her laugh, and when she laughed he smiled.

~~breath

He wasn't there today; he didn't come to the market like he always did. She worried that he had been hurt, perhaps even killed. She waited for him for hours, but he still didn't come. Her night that night was filled with dreams of his bruised and broken body.

~~breath

He was back; he had gone on a trip he said. To do what he wouldn't say, top secret was what he told her. She was just glad that he was back. They talked for hours, like they used to, and then he gave her a folded up piece of paper and told her not to open it until she got home.

~~breath

The next week she didn't go to the market, he had told her in the note that he wouldn't be there; she was ok with that because it was rainy. She held onto the picture that he had given her, he was smiling in it. When she looked at it, she smiled.

~~breath

He was back; she ran up to hug him but stopped short. He looked sad; his face was drawn and worried. "What's wrong Anh?" she asked quietly, he said nothing but took her hand in his and took her on a walk, when they were in the woods he handed her a piece of paper. It was a letter from her mother, telling her that her family was dead and that by the time she read this her mother would be dead to. It was the orange gas he told her. She broke down and cried in front of him; she didn't care. He held her.

~~breath

The war was getting worse, she saw less and less of Alfred now. He was always busy, he would write her letters, but it wasn't the same, and some of his letters didn't even get to her. One day she saw him in the market place, he told her that it would probably be for the last time. "Why Anh?" she had asked, her eyes filling with tears. "Because…" he never got to finish, another American grabbed him by the shoulder and started yelling at him. She ran away.

~~breath

The next day she ran, with all her might she ran. Martial law had been incanted and the Americans where evacuating. When she reached the place where they were loading the helicopters she searched the crowd for Alfred. She finally found him, helping to load the children onto the helicopters. He looked at her, his eye's telling her that he was afraid. She didn't hesitate to ask why; she just started helping him with the children.

~~breath

The children where all loaded and on their way to safety. He reached over and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the last helicopter. He helped her on and then turned to go. "Where are you going?" she cried out, grabbing his hand, "There is no room" he said, "but you can't stay here… you will die" "I would rather it be me then you" he replied, trying to pull free from her grasp as the pilot indicated that they had to fly now. She jumped off, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" He cried, desperation filling his voice. "You go" she whispered softly, the people on the helicopter where motioning for him to get on. "But I can't leave you here!" he cried, "Alfred…" she choked his name, placing her arms around his neck for the last time "You have family back home, go to them Alfred. I will be ok" he shook his head but she pulled away and motioned for him to get in. He climbed into the helicopter; she turned her face up so that she might catch a last glimpse of him as the helicopter would fly away but as it began to rise he reached down, grasping her firmly around the waist, pulling her in with him. When she was inside he didn't say anything, he just shut the door.

~~breath

After they had landed, he helped her out of the helicopter. As they walked over to where there was a bunch of people cheering and crying he picked her up in his strong arms. Leaning close to her he pushed his lips against hers in a firm, and tender kiss, she wrapped his arms around her neck wanting to never let go.


End file.
